1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of hygienic tongue depressors, and more particularly to a novel tongue depressor that is curved at least at one end so that the base of the tongue during use is depressed allowing the health care provider to visually observe the epiglottis.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past, tongue depressors have been employed to hold and retain the tongue or a patient's lips out of the line of vision during inspections of the mouth. The conventional tongue depressor includes a stick with a flat length and is rounded at its ends. However, there are frequent occasions in which a satisfactory inspection of the mouth cannot be made because the view of the interior of the mouth and throat is obstructed after the tongue or the lips have been depressed or moved as far as possible. Furthermore, the conventional or standard tongue depressor of the blade type does not address a wide tongue which does not yield readily so that the result is a mounding of glossal tissue around the sides or edges of the blade itself. Also, conventional tongue depressors do not provide proper or adequate visualization of the anatomical structure known as the epiglottis. The epiglottis is usually below the level of the tongue posterior overlying the laryngeal inlet. This is an important structure to observe, especially in children who not uncommonly have inflammation and infection of this anatomical structure.
Still a further problem with conventional depressors resides in performing an indirect laryngoscopy requiring visualization of the larynx with a mirror. Usually, the physician holds the anterior portion of the tongue by the tip usually with a gauze sponge and then uses the fingers of his other hand to work the mirror. Sometimes the patient involuntarily, while not gagging, will have his tongue elevated when he is repeating the vocal command "EEEE" making proper visualization impossible. During this procedure, physicians sometimes take the tongue blade of conventional design and place it between the second and third fingers of his left hand while the first and second digits are holding the tongue. Then, with only the strength of his middle finger, the physician attempts to use the tongue depressor or blade to depress the offending tissue. Such a procedure is tedious and requires substantial dexterity.
Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a tongue depressor which can do both of the above-mentioned hand functions and which is convenient to grasp the tip of the tongue while simultaneously depressing the posterior aspect of the tongue with one pincers movement. Also, it would be helpful to shape the depressor in such a way as to depress the base of the tongue while allowing for observation of the epiglottis.